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Selkirk travelled to Burnbrae last Saturday sitting top of Premier 2 and West were well prepared for the visit
on a softish pitch. Early West pressure was met with solid defence as both teams had to contend with a tricky cross
wind. The home pack was in the ascendency and West were first to get points on the board when stand-off Fraser
Sinclair slotted a penalty goal after 10 minutes. The Souters were quick to retaliate and a sparkling move looked
to have resulted in a try by winger Scott Hendrie. However, David Cassidy's pass was adjudged to have gone forward.
The borderline call was made by the touch judge much to the dismay of the Selkirk supporters. However, only a few
minutes later, full back Fraser Harkness gathered the ball in midfield, evaded a number of tackles and ran 40 metres
to score in the corner. David Cassidy's conversion attempt shaved the outside of the posts. This was a wake-up
call for West who quickly responded with a fine try by Fraser Sinclair who sailed through an opening to touch down
between the posts giving him an easy conversion. The West stand-off was proving to be a dangerous runner. Cassidy
narrowed the gap to 10-8 with a successful penalty kick after 25 minutes. Selkirk found themselves down to 7 forwards
when prop Alan McDowell was sin-binned. Despite this temporary setback, Selkirk launched a series of attacks and
were rewarded with their second try after 37 minutes. From a scrum on the home 22, Selkirk moved the ball left
and Lee Jones smartly off-loaded the ball to David Cassidy who ran over unopposed for the touch-down which he duly
converted to put Selkirk in the lead 15-10 with half-time approaching. The game continued to swing from end to
end until West disrupted Selkirk scrum ball and took full advantage when Guy Perrett plunged over for an opportunist
try after 44 minutes. Fraser Sinclair converted to make the score at half-time West 17 Selkirk 15. Although the
game was still very much in the balance this was a crucial score for the home team.
However, West took a firm hold of both the ball and the game in the second half. West scrum half Sandy Service
came off with an injury and his replacement Lewis Menzies quickly got on the scoreboard when he pounced on a loose
ball, again from a Selkirk scrum, to score in the corner. The heavier West forwards were firing on full cylinders
but the Selkirk backs always looked dangerous on the attack. With half an hour to go, Sinclair punted a high ball
into the Selkirk half that bounced awkwardly for Selkirk but kindly for West. Left winger Ben Wright gathered the
ball and weaved past a couple of Selkirk defenders, before popping the ball to supporting centre Dave Young who
duly scored under the posts to take the score to 29-15. Selkirk were forced to chase the game and some enterprising
passages of back play meant that West's defence had to be resolute. Opportuniteis to kick a couple of penalties
were spurned by the Souters as they went for tries to narrow the deficit. With only 8 minutes remaining, another
Sinclair penalty put the game beyond Selkirk much to the relief of the vociferous West supporters. Ben Wright again
got into the act just before the final whistle with an interception try from West's 22, scampering the length of
the field to go under the posts. Fraser Sinclair converted to make the score West 39 Selkirk 15 in what was an
excellent advert for Club rugby by both sides. The forwards power of West saw them run out comfortable winners
but not quite as comfortable as the score line suggests. Selkirk will be licking their wounds and keen to bounce
back to winning ways against Hamilton next Saturday. Third place in Premier 2 at the half way point in the league
programme still represents a healthy position.
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